davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
A COLORED FUNERAL.
Gorgeous Affairs That Are Paid for by the
Assessment Plan.
" ashington Letter.

Assessment Plan.
Washington Letter.
ored funerals .'blackberrying party" as it has
been irreverently called. These affairs
often on most gorgeous scale, and 1t is
mystery where the money comes from to pay
for the elaborate ceremonies at the church, the
costly coffin and funeral drapery. and the long
procession of carriages This mystery IS eX-
planned by an insight into the organization of
the numerous burial societies which flourish
among the colored people.
These societies generally rejoice in magnilo-
quent title and a rainbow regaa beside which
Josepn's coat of many colors would be dull,
aesthetic garment of neutral tints. have made
inquiries about one of these organizations, which
are brotEerhoods or sisterhoods. or both as the
case may be, and find some interesting features
in its makeup. The idea is to guarantee good
funeral to its members. There is an initiation
fee of "a and annual dues of small amount.
Then for each death, the members are assessed
fifty cents all around or 81. Is il they wish to
ride in hack to the grave
This is quite a tax the poor servant girls
and seamstresses who make up the sisterhood,
but it is one that is willingly borne for the most
part. as each member expects to die some time,
and when that event occurs she wishes to be
buried in style If a colored woman becomes
''ofish" in this matter she becomes target for
the solicitations and social pressure of her circle
of friends. She may urge that she has
no money to spare, and that for her part
she doesn't much care what happens to her body
after she is dead. In such the woman
is labored with much in the strain in
which ko-Ko persuaded NankiPoo to undergo
martyrdom. He would have lots of fun for the
month. and at the expiration of that time he
would be the central parsonage in great public
ceremonial, which would wind up with fire.
works and other festivities. You won't see
them" Ko-Ko observes, meditatively, "but
they'll be there all the same" So the young
colored person is urged to join the sisterhood
on the ground that she have the fun of
going to all the funerals till her turn comes,
and then be assured that she will be made the
| chief figure in a gorgeous ceremonial. These
| arguments are commonly effective, but if not,
| and il the woman holds aloof, she rather loses
| caste among her fellow church members and
other associates
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
WEAKNESSES OF GREAT MEN.
Their Foibles Overlooked When Their Ex-
cellences Are Considered.


Halifax Critic
How is it that we are all interested in the
weaknesses of great menu Is it because human
nature cannot endure the sight of a faultless
fellow beingl Certain it is that the unco guild
have very few friends in the world Or do men,
out of vanity, love to hear of the fobes of
great men. conscious that they themselves pos
sess these at least IN common with the CREATE
Let the many who ape the eccentricities of
genius answer for themselves. Or do not small
faults and odd habits throw a stronger light
upon the inner character of a great genius than
his greater qualities and world renowned
PLOTS! Carlyle, walking in his garden his hands
behind him. and clay pipe in his mouth, is GER
talnly more real. movable and human than Car
lyle as the author and moralist The heart of
the reader warns toward the clever, lmpecunious
Goldsmith, sitting in barrel in Green Arbor
Court playing his flute while some ragged
neighbours children dance. or teaching his dog
to sit on end. while the lines
By sports like these were all their cares beguled
The sports of children satisfy the child,
Were still wet the authors page. Samuel
Johnson suffers nothing in estimation when
we see him numbering down the street. scrupu-
lousy touching every hitching-post with his
hands, and going back if he has missed one.
Nor does Lord Macauiay lose any of his greatness
when we know that he regularly played horse
with the children; or that ne never passed GER
tain clearinghouse in London without going in,
calling for a large number of empty glasses. try
ing to stack them in a peculiar way on the table.
and always breaking goodly number of them
in the attempt. But there other and less
admirable weaknesses which we exhibited by
great men, though we do not think of balancing
them against the sum total of their excel
lences. It is privilege of greatness
to have faults. Many of the greatest characters
in history showed fondness for women and
wine which could not be tolerated in less dis
tinguished men. Other great names have
stains of such ignoble hue avarice vani-
tv. Bacon was called at once the wsest and
the meanest of mankind Macready wrote of
his own acting of Macbeth noble piece of
art Lord Byron returned box of pills to the
apothecary because they were directed to mir.
Byron" Napoleon said: They call me lucky
because am able: it is the weak men who ac-
cuse the strong of good fortune" Not few
great men have lived in false, artificial atmos-
| phere throughout their lives They seem to be
| acting part-keeping up delusion. Thus the
| elder Pitt, Mrabeau and Napoleon l had great
deal of the charlatan mixed up in their charac-
tiers. Nothing could atone for such characters
ties but the possession of the most transcendent
abilities, and merely intellectual qualities. when
coupled with Objectionable traits of character
| serve only to excite mems admiration-not to
| win their devotion.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04

ST. LOUIS. April "a dispatch from Eureka
Springs, Ark, says; LAS the train bearing
Hon. James G. Blaine and party pulled up at
this station yesterday, Old Chapultepec,' the
Mexican cannon, relic owned by ex-Gov
Powell Clayton, belched forth welcome from
the crest of Crescent mountain and was followed
by rousins cheers from the multitude. Upon
alightne the distinguished party were escorted
to the hotel by sixty couples of ladies and gem
temen on horseback and several hundred citi-
zeas in carriages and foot. A reception was
held in the evening The party left this after
noon for Fort Gibson, from which point they
will go to Chicago
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
MAKING EXPLOSIVES.
Nerve and Indifference to Danger Requisite
for Workmen.

San Francisco Call.
No hospitals are ever required around dyna-
mite factory, as the wounded seldom found.
Ia a large establishment, where immense guam
titles Of powder are being handlsd, there is
never an explosion except it is very serious
one, and all who within reach are killed out
right. Powder men realize this fact, and always
assert, with grim resignation, that Il anything
happens they never expect to know anything
about it. 70 be scattered into fragments in
stantly is their full expectation.
The chief dread connected with the manufact-
ure of all high explosives is the unaccountable-
ness ct many explosions. From atmospheric con-
disons and other unknown and uncomfortable
causes explosions often occur in a mysterious
and unaccountable manner.
Gelatlne is the most powerful explosive now
used. 1t is a compound of gun-cotton and nitro
glycerine, which must be mixed together till it
resembles a thick, dark paste, like stiff fruit
jelly The workmen mix 1t in a pan as woman
mixes flour and water into dough. The hands
are covered with long bier gloves. This gela-
tine powder paste is twice powerful as dy
Mantle, and there is quite demand for it in
blasting the hardest rock in railroad tunnels.
most stupendous exhibition Of nerve and
GOODNESS is sometimes required In the life of
man who works in dynamite. One year ago, in
a local factory, four-thousand-pound tank of
tro-gycerine suddenly caught fire. Flames
six feet high burst from the surface of the
fluid. Superintendent Frank Roller and
| foreman Erick Starke We're present and
they Immediately turned compressed air into
! the .anx, and by other means suppressed the
| flames. 1t must be remembered that the
nitro-glycerine will burn till neat of about
| $500 is reached, and then it will ex-
plode. Il the fire can be extinguished before
| that degree of heat is reached, there will
| be no serious consequence. In the above in-
stance, it was the safer course to try to put out
the flames. as if an explosion to occur it
| would come too Quickly to allow escape to a safe
| distance. A man under such circumstances
| however. is more liable to use his legs than his
| thinking faculties. If that tank had exploded
its mate standing within six feet of it would
also have exploded, sending up 5000 pounds
nitro-elycerine in one fash. The detonatior
would, no doubt. have been sensibly felt in all
| parts of the State.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
PROPOSALS FOR ARMY SUPPLIES.
PROPOSALS FOR FRESH BEEF.

INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL, Ind, April 4, 1887.
Sealed proposals, in trplcae, subject to the usual
conditions, with copy of this advertisement at
ached will be received az this Office until 10 o'clock
and place they viii be opened in the presence of bid
ders furnishing and delivering the fresh beef
quired in the Subsistence Department. United
States Army, at this post. during the fiscal year
commencing July 1. 1887 and ending June 30
1888.
all proposals.
Information to the manner of bidding. condi
and payment viii be furnished on application to the
Office.
Envelopes containing proposals should be marked
Proposals for Fresh Beef and addressed to the
undersigned. CLIFTON Comfy,
Major of Ordnance, A. G. 8.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
ILLINOIS.
Discovery of q Technical Shortage In the Ac-
counts of an Ex,Sheriff.

Discovery of q Technical Shortage In the Ac-
counts of an Ex,SheriH.
Special to tho Indianapolis Jourpal
DANvILLE, April AT the regular meeting
of tho board of supervisors, March l, a commit
tee was appointed to investigate the books and
accounts of exSher;ff w. c. futile. A special
meeting of the board received to-day the report OF
The ccmmittee, the report showing that the ex-
Sheriff is short in his accounts $1,000 60. The
board gave him thirty days TO refund the amount,
and, IL not paid by that time tho States attorney
was authorized to commence legal proceeding
against him. The shortage is the amount of
certain foes received by the sheriff which he
should have turned over TO the county. In just
Ice To Mr. Tuttle it is due him to state that il
has been the custom of his predecessors to retain
these fees. custom which is generally practiced
by sheriffs throughout the State, and that he
thought ne was entitled to said tees Mr. futile
Is at present county clerk.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Obseouies of Robert p. Brown,

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
GREENFIELD, April 3.-Robert P. Brown, who
died very suddenly on last Friday morning, was
buried here to-day. On Friday he was engaged
in ''crying" q sale of farm implements at Eden,
. village near here when he was seized with
apoplexy, and died almost instantly. For two
terms he was treasurer of Hancock county, and
also served one term as sheriff. He sixty
three years of age. having lived in Greenfield
for forty years. He leaves widow and large
number of children The funeral was one of
che largest that ever occurred in this city.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Winter Visitors to Florida.

John B. Vance, of Lancaster, passed through
this city. the other day. on his way home from
Palatka. Fla. when 1 left Palatka," he
said. Mrs Henry Ward Beecher had just ar
rived at the principal hotel. The proprietor,
after having invited her to accept the hospitality
of the house, published her telegram accepting
it, The place is overrun with Northerners. An
old man said to me: Every winter Florida has
Northern invasion differing from the one of
1864, in that during the first the Yanks cleaned
us out and now we are cleaning them out" A
colored boy said something of the sort.
He said that in summer be lived off little fish
ing and in the winter off sick Yankees He
was right, for good room at good hotel is SO
per day.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Family Mysteriously Poisoned.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
SHELBYvILLE, April 3.-The entire family of
ihe Rev J. Fl. Edwards were taken very sick
this morning about o'clock, and physician
had to be called. They were all poisoned, but
cannot tell what they ate the evening before to
cause it. Rev. Edwards left this city
year ago missionary to Australia, and is
now in the Holy Land ON his way home The
sickness of the family is quite serious.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Family Matters.

San Francisco Chronicle.
whats the matter. PATTI"
More fun in the family this mornin', sor."
Eyes twins again"
mo, sor. Faith and its triplets this time"
ssYou're getting on"
'Gettin' on. is it9 BY hving. sor, I behave
the next'll be quadrupeds."
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
THE FIRE RECORD. =

Clarksville, Tenn, Business Houses De-
stroyed-Loss About $23O,OOO
Special to the Indianapolis journal.
GAINESVILLE, Tenn, April "a destructive
fire broke out this morning at o'clock in the
shoe-shop of Dock Owens, where some colored
gamblers were having drunken carousal The
wind was from the south, and swept away sew
eral3 old frames, but was checked with few
thousand dollars loss. A. IL o'clock it broke
out under the roof of Broaddus & Coul-
ter's store and was not thoroughly sub
dued until after o'clock tonight. Altogether
about twenty-five buildings were burned, the
total loss, as far as estimated amounting to
$3.50, 900, with insurance of $155, 900. The heav-
lest losers were; j. F. Bell shoe store. $40 900;
Lockert & Reynolds, druggists. $4,000; E. Click
dry goods and clothing, $50, 600; Black Bros
wholesale and retail dry goods. 200; r. s.
Broaddus. dry goods, SIG. 900; j. S. Elder, build
ing. $16 500.
An incident of the day was the serving of ccf-
fee by the W. G. T. U. ladies and the absence Of
all intoxication. The ladies also worked hard
by the side of the men in saving property. The
electric light, telephone and Western Union
wires were temporarily disabled.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Heavy Damages Demanded.

gpecial to the Indianapolis Journal
LAFAYETTE. April 3.-The Daily Courier is
involved in $4,000 SANDER suit. Thursday
evening it published a sensational item in which
10 stated that Miss Flora Kleppinger, sixteen
year old member of the Salvation Army here,
had become a mother The young lady denied
the statement. and a retracton was made She
asks for $40 600
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Locomotive Fireman Killed.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
LoGANsPoRT. April John McHale, fire.
man on the Panhandle between this city and
Bradford, was killed at Amboy, last night The
remains were brought to this city. Deceased
a nephew of Patrick McHale. one of Lo-
gansport's most prominent Irish citizens, and
had only been in America four months.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
INDIANA AND ILLINOIS NEWS
The Daily Chronicle of Happenings of
All Kinds in the Two States.
Death of "Uncle" Billy Romine. a Blackford
County Character-An Important DAM
age Suit Ended-Notes and Gleanings.
INDIANA.

Death of an Interesting Character Who Was
Wei, known in Blackboard County.
epseiai to the Indianapolis Journal.
Hartford Cry, April 3.-''Uncle Billy
Romine who died in this city on Wednesday,
and was buried yesterday, probably one of
.he most interesting characters Of this portion of
The State. Uncle Billy" as he was Familiarity
called, was deaf and dumb from birth; had never
heard o word spoken in his life. neither had he
ever spoken one. He came here sometime be-
fore the war. and built the log cabin in which he
lived until year ago. 1t is asserted that
during the Rebellion, at one time, he and two
other men were the only loyalists or Union men
IN the town. and that on several different occa-
sions they protected the settlement from the at
sacksof the copperhead and Southern sympathizr
,srs. who at that time were almostn full possession
Of the county. Nothing definite is known as to
'Uncle Billys' relatives. He lived alone the
greater portion of his lfe and maintained him
self chiefly from the revenue derived from rent
ing portion Of his house, but added slightly to
this income by cutivating such garden vege-
tables, during the summer time, as he could lind
market for He had many pecuiarites, one OF
which was his regular attendance at church and
all public meetings He always selected a seat
nearest the speaker, and evinced as much inter-
est though hearing and comprehending every
word Nothing definite is known as to his age,
but he was likely not far from eighty years old
at the time of his death.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
PROPOSALS FOR FUEL. FORAGE AND STRAW.
OFFICE AoTIyG ASSISTANT QUARTERMAsTER. l.
INpIASApoIIs ARSENAL, Ind, April 4. 1887.

OFFICE AcTIyG ASSISTANT QUARTERMAsTER.
INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL Ind, April 4. lss7.S
Sealed proposals in triplcate subject to the usual
conditions will DO received at this Office until 10
o'clock A. NJ ON Wednesday. May A. 1SST at which
time and place they will be opened in the presence Of
bidders for furnishing and delivering at this post
fuel forage and straw during the fiscal year CON-
mencing July l, 1857.
The government reserves the right to reject any or
all bids. Preference given TO articles of domestic
production conditions of price and quality being
eaual and such preference given to articles of Amer
lean production and manufacture produced on tho
Pacific the extent of the sumption required
by the public service there.
Blank proposals and information will be furnished
on application to this Office
Envelopes containing proposals should DO marked
Proposals for Fuel Forage or Straw, ,as TSa
case may bel, and addressed to the undersigned
". H. REXF0RD.
Captain o. S. X, A. A. @. NJ
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Brief Mention.

The Illinois Senate has passed bill prohibit
ing marriage of first cousins.
A three-year girl of Peoria chewed the
glass eyes of her doll. and swallowed some of
the fragments. She died few days later
A young man of Astoria, while going home
from church, put his hands in his pockets to
keep them warm In doing so he accidentally
discharged his revolver the bullet lodging in his
hand
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Secretary Bayard.s Fiancee.

New York Home journal.
Miss Markoe. the iancee of Secretary Bayard,
is the guest of Mrs. q. Kidd. S53 Fifth avenue
Miss Markoe is handsome blonde, whose fam
ily have been associates OF the Bayards for a
generation. Preparations going for the
wedding, which will be quietly solemnized at the
house of friend in this city.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Lynching in Iowa.

CHICAGO, April "a Times special from
Creston. Ia. says Last night a mob stormed
the jail ut Corning Adams county. took there
from J. II. Mckenzie. who murdered his tenant,
named Riggs, in dispute. about three weeks
ago, carried him a short distance from town ana
hanged him. The raid was wholly unexpected "
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Steamship News.

New YORK, April 3-Arrived: State Of Indi
ana. from Glasgow; La Gascogne, from Havre.
LONDON, April 3.-The Gellert from New
York, March "a. for Hamburg. has arrived at
Plymouth; the La Boureogne, from New York,
March 26, arrived at Havre day.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Killed by a Bursting Grindstone

Special to the indianapolis journal.
ELKHART, April BY the bursting of a
erindstone in Pratt & Sons carriage works.
Harry Stair was struck and SO badly injured
that death resulted this morning.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
Other Fires.

SEYMOUR, Ind, April 2.-Fitch's tolu factory
was partially destroyed by fire this morning.
The fire originated in the attic from defective
fue. The main loss is upon stock, damaged by
water The building is a large frame. A large
number of persons, mostly women and girls. are
thrown out of employment. The loss is esti-
mated at 81, 500; insurance unknown.
MAIDEN, Mass, April 3.-Fire, originating
from the explosion of kerosene in a lamp to-
day, destroyed the stables and car-house of the
Boston Consolidated Street Railroad Company.
The contents, consisting of number of cars.
forty-three sets of harness. forty tons of hay
and fifty horses, were also burned The loss is
about SIS, 600; partly insured.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04

portions. but agreeable mien. with a gold collar
and silver lock, bearing the legend of our lumin-
airy, and thereto attached card, on which was
written with the compliments OF the Judge
Publishing Company"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04

W. J. Arkell, president of the Judge Publish
ing Company. has generously presented the
New York Evening Sun with an office cat. The
Evening Sun describes it as Eat Of modest pro-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
The Sex Appreciate Us.

Woman's Magazine.
journalists.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
An Important Damage Suit Ended.

Special to the Indianapolis Journs:.
LAFAYETTE, April 3.-The decision of the
Supreme Court, yesterday. in the case of An
drew Frawley VS.. the Louisville. New Albany
& Chicago railway ends an important case
John Frawley, minor. and son of plaintiff,
WAS employed by the road While coupling cars
his hands were mashed and he was crippled for
life. His father sued the road for $4,000, and
was given a Judgment for 81. 800. The case
was appealed, and the Supreme Court has just
affirmed the decision, and denied a new trial.
The judgment and costs aggregate $4,000.
A civil action is also pending in court, in which
Frawley asks S., coo of the road for depriving
him of his sons services, he being a minor, and
emnloYed without his consent.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
CITY MATTERS IN GENERAL.
To-Day's Doings.

EVANGELICAL MINISTERS-Centralave avenue NJ. E.
Church. morning.
COUNCIL-Evening
MENNERCHOR SOCIETY - Business meeting.
evening.
TRAP SHOOTING-Beck Park
THE MUSEUM-George C. Bonface, in Streets of
New York"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04
A Mlnister select. am Inoppnrtune ronio.

n HHiHtstor Se'sCts MI IH"PPbFLuhe Topic.
NORRIS. April 3-The trial of the alleged
train robbers, Schwartz and Watt, was given
most unexpected turn today by on incident that
will probably destroy the worth of all the work
% far done. BY consent Of counsel and
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-04

NOR SALE--oNIlY ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR
Il the Weekly Indiana State Journal Send fort